Friendship with Christ
Adult and mature is a faith profoundly rooted in friendship with Christ. This friendship opens us to all that is good and gives us the measure to discern between what is true and what is false, between deceit and truth. ...
Let us now turn to the Gospel [John 15:9-17], from whose richness I would like to draw only two small observations. The Lord addresses these wonderful words to us: "No longer do I call you servants ... but I have called you friends" (John 15:15). Many times we simply feel like useless servants, and it is true (cf. Luke 17:10). And, despite this, the Lord calls us friends; he makes us his friends; he gives us his friendship. The Lord defines friendship in two ways. There are no secrets between friends: Christ tells us everything he hears from the Father; he gives us his full confidence and, with confidence, also knowledge. He reveals his face to us, his heart. He shows us his tenderness for us, his passionate love that goes to the folly of the cross.
He gives us his confidence; he gives us the power to speak with his I: "This is my body," and "I absolve you." He entrusts his body to us, the Church. He entrusts his truth to our weak minds, our weak hands, the mystery of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the mystery of the God who "so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). He has made us his friends and, we, how do we respond?
The second element with which Jesus defines friendship is the communion of wills. "Idem velle -- idem nolle," was also for Romans the definition of friendship. "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). Friendship with Christ coincides with what the third petition of the Our Father expresses: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
In the hour of Gethsemane, Jesus transformed our rebellious human will in a will conformed and united with the divine will. He suffered all the drama of our autonomy and, in carrying our will in God's hands, he gave us true freedom: "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). In this communion of wills our redemption takes place: to be friends of Jesus, to become friends of God. The more we love Jesus, the more we know him, and the more our genuine freedom grows, as well as the joy of being redeemed. Thank you, Jesus, for your friendship! ...
The other element of the Gospel that I would like to mention is Jesus' discourse on bearing fruit: "I […] chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain" (John 15:16). Here the dynamism of the Christian's existence appears, of the apostle: "I appointed you to go." We must be animated by a "holy anxiety," the anxiety of taking the gift of faith, of friendship with Christ, to all. In truth, love, friendship with God, has been given to us so that it will also reach others.
Pope Benedict XVI
Let us now turn to the Gospel [John 15:9-17], from whose richness I would like to draw only two small observations. The Lord addresses these wonderful words to us: "No longer do I call you servants ... but I have called you friends" (John 15:15). Many times we simply feel like useless servants, and it is true (cf. Luke 17:10). And, despite this, the Lord calls us friends; he makes us his friends; he gives us his friendship. The Lord defines friendship in two ways. There are no secrets between friends: Christ tells us everything he hears from the Father; he gives us his full confidence and, with confidence, also knowledge. He reveals his face to us, his heart. He shows us his tenderness for us, his passionate love that goes to the folly of the cross.
He gives us his confidence; he gives us the power to speak with his I: "This is my body," and "I absolve you." He entrusts his body to us, the Church. He entrusts his truth to our weak minds, our weak hands, the mystery of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; the mystery of the God who "so loved the world that he gave his only Son" (John 3:16). He has made us his friends and, we, how do we respond?
The second element with which Jesus defines friendship is the communion of wills. "Idem velle -- idem nolle," was also for Romans the definition of friendship. "You are my friends if you do what I command you" (John 15:14). Friendship with Christ coincides with what the third petition of the Our Father expresses: "Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."
In the hour of Gethsemane, Jesus transformed our rebellious human will in a will conformed and united with the divine will. He suffered all the drama of our autonomy and, in carrying our will in God's hands, he gave us true freedom: "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matthew 26:39). In this communion of wills our redemption takes place: to be friends of Jesus, to become friends of God. The more we love Jesus, the more we know him, and the more our genuine freedom grows, as well as the joy of being redeemed. Thank you, Jesus, for your friendship! ...
The other element of the Gospel that I would like to mention is Jesus' discourse on bearing fruit: "I […] chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain" (John 15:16). Here the dynamism of the Christian's existence appears, of the apostle: "I appointed you to go." We must be animated by a "holy anxiety," the anxiety of taking the gift of faith, of friendship with Christ, to all. In truth, love, friendship with God, has been given to us so that it will also reach others.
Pope Benedict XVI
posted by ecce ancilla Domini @ 9:29 PM
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